Rachel Parris – Live In Vegas (So Comedy by arrangement with Troika)

Rachel Parris was the darling of the free festival last year, her musical comedy a charming combination of sweet and scathing. This year she’s moved onto character comedy, but the result is much less successful. Despite obvious musical talent and stage presence, Parris is sorely lacking in material. She fizzes with energy on stage, the quick costume changes covered by adverts from her “sponsors”, but her characters are almost painfully obvious: a posh indie singer trying to be edgy; a fading diva with a huge ego; a liberal Country and Western singer. There are a few laughs from the audience, but they’re mostly polite. ‘Live In Vegas’ has plenty of sequins and glamour, it just needs a few more jokes.